Government By Freemasonry.

j ; s rent and an average rate of nearly 2 s per week ( or 7 s per week including rates ) , and we blunder home in the dark , if the moon doesn ' t appear at night , because they are " careful of the ratepayers' money ! We have no sewerage scheme , and when that comes , and it must come soon , goodness knows what we shall have to pay in rates if something isn ' t clone to stop this wilful expenditure of money by this clique of Freemasons . : ¦ DISGUSTED .

To the Editor of the DAILY ARGUS . SIR , —As one of the much-abused Masons of Tamworth , and as one who knows more of the real facts of our municipal life than Mr . Alldritt is ever competent to find out , I crave permission to place a few facts before your numerous readers to show that the Masons of

Tamworth , like their Brethren throughout England who are similarly placed , have faithfully discharged the public trust which their fellow townsmen have reposed in them for many years , and that the foul libels to which they are being subjected are due to the fact that they will not bow the knee to Baal .

It is almost impossible to fix our slanderers down to a single definite statement . Of insinuations and innuendoes there are plenty , but life is too short to endeavour to show the baselessness of these , as your readers must admit . The Ratepayers' Association here has been absolutely captured by Mr . Alldritt . When the Association was started , everyone had a good word for it , but its real object was soon seen . The moment there was an endeavour made to reply to

mis-statements the Committee constituted themselves an inner circle —a modern Star Chamber—sat in judgment upon applicants for membership , and actually refused membership to several well-known gentlemen , who , it is needless to add , were not . abject admirers of Mr . Alldritt . The Association now exists to register faithfully the decrees of Mr . Alldritt . It is a case distinctly of the tail wagging the dog .

The attack upon Freemasonry has arisen in this way . For a year past Mr . Alldritt has been assiduously endeavouring to find evidences of maladministration of the town ' s affairs , and , as was to be expected , he has totally failed in his quest . He also boldly asserted that courage , determination and disinterestedness were almost absent virtues on the Rural District Council , and for failing to prove his statement when requested to do so , his colleagues on that body passed a vote of censure upon him .

Now , the municipal election is rapidly approaching , and on 1 st November Mr . Alldritt will commence the last year of his present term of office as a Councillor . He is credited with a strong desire to be elected Mayor of the town . Unless he secures a majority of his own followers on the Council , he cannot be Mayor . He has obtained four candidates to go to the poll next Friday . He cannot

• raise a cry in their favour ori the ground of mal-administration of the town's affairs ; so he has developed a personal attack against the most respected members of the Council because they arc Freemasons . Ever ) ' thinking person with a knowledge of the world knows that Freemasons are debarred by every sense of honour from

taking part as Masons m public matters , but Mr . Alldritt knows better , and the members of the Ratepayers' Association , into whom he pours his native eloquence as one pours water into . a bucket , swallow with eagerness every allegation , no matter what it is , that he makes about men who were working hard in the public interest before he was born .

Your correspondent '' Working Man . " who has evidently supped heartily of the mental pabulum provided so liberally by Mr . Alldritt savs the town is honeycombed with Freemasonry . Will you believe , sir , that the local Lodge comprises only about fifty members , and that nearly one-half of these are non-residents or non-attenders ?

According to Mr . Alldritt ' s own showing , there are only six Masons on the Council out of a membership of sixteen . Where does Masonic domination come in ? Again , according to Mr . Alldritt , there are nine committees of the Council , with a total membership of 75 ; of these 24 are Masons ! Where is the oppression here ?

If public positions of note are held by Masons , it is solely on account of the fact that the Masons in question—and there are only three or four who can be considered in this respect—are elderly gentlemen , who have for years given a great part of their time , their talent , and their money to the work of the town . They are never weary in well-doing , and the town has honoured them for what they have done . Would that the same could be said of their

opponents . In your issue of this evening you state with respect to Alderman Martincau— "It is worth remembering that never in the history of the Council has an alderman been refused re-election , and to create a precedent of the kind under such circumstances would

indeed be a disgrace . " Sir , it is . the case here ,- that to remove an alderman mis vcar is one of the avowed objects of Mr . Alldritt . The majority of Tamworth people feel that the good name of the town is , as you fairly observe with regard to your own City Council , "being dragged . in the mire by unscrupulous zealots , who have no respect cither for age , character , or life-long service . " .

It is a notable fact that almost the whole of the , £ 4 , 000 required to purchase our Castle for the public enjoyment has been secured by a Mason in the Council , and of that money , £ 300 has been subscribed by one Mason , who also some years ago erected a public baths and institute for the town , as well as a Cottage Hospital for the district , which has been a great boon . You mi ght search from

now to Doomsday to find a record of the subscriptions to the Castle Purchase Fund of Mr . Alldritt's principal supporters . These . same gentlemen have consistfntly " crabbed" every attempt to obtain a good sewerage scheme for the town and-district , which is urgently wanted , and yet your correspondent "Disgusted" blames the Freemasons because there is no sewerage scheme !

I must end this long letter , although my subject is fr . r from being exhausted , A , M , SCULTHORPE , Ex-Mayor ,

Fire At A Well Known Jeweller's.

FIRE AT A WELL KNOWN JEWELLER'S .

A FIRE occurred in the basement and workshops of Bro . W . J . Carroll , 20 London Street , opposite Fenchurch Street Station , on Monday , and was fortunately got under before reaching the front shop . Had it occurred at night we shudder to think what the result must have been , nothing less than the complete loss of the whole of

the valuable stock of gems , jewellery , watches , clocks , & c , & c , for which our Brother is so renowned . The fire is supposed to have originated through a passer-by dropping a lighted match into the basement , where some packing cases were . waiting for the carriers to fetch away . Luckily the outbreak was discovered by a lad who

at . once gave the alarm . Unfortunately he was slightly burned on the face . Bro . Carroll and his assistants did the best in their power until the brigade arrived , fortunately just in time . The mishap will in no way interfere with the business , as the workshops at the other place of business of Bro . Carroll , in Beer Lane , Great Tower Street can accommodate all requirements until the damage is repaired .

THE Committee of the Bethnal Green Free Library are in great want of funds to wipe out a debt that sadly cripples the extension of their unique work , especially now mat the long , dark nights are set in ; and bring the usual crowd that seek admission . As stated by a writer lately , the Free Library is far reaching in its effects , for it gives the girls and boys a bright , warm room to read in , with

literature which they wish to read , saving them from the terror cf the street , and it gives the men a cheery room to sit and read the papers in , thus proving a veritable " Place of Refuge . " Contributions in an 3 form will be gratefully received by the Treasurer , F . A . Bevan , Esq ., at the Bank , 54 Lombard Street , E . C . : by the Bankers , Barclay and Co ., at the same address , or by the Secretary and Librarian , at the Bethnal Green Free Library , London , N . E .

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

— . v . APOLLO . 8 ; Kitty Grey . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . AVENUE . 7 . 45 , Between the Dances . 8 . 30 , The Night of the Party . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . 30 . COMEDY . 8 . 15 , When we were Twenty-one . Matinee , Wednes-¦

day and Saturday , 2 . 15 . COVENT GARDEN . Friday , 8 th November , 11 , Grand Fancj Dress Ball . CRITERION- 8-30 , The Undercurrent . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . 30 DALY'S . 8 . 15 , San Toy . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . 30 . DRURY LANE . 7 . 45 , The Great Millionaire . Matinee ,

Wednesday and Saturday , 1 . 45 . DUKE OF YORK'S . 8 , The Sentimentalist . Matinee , Wednesday . GAIETY . 8 , The Toreador . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . GARRICK . 8 , Iris . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . GT . QUEEN STREET . 8 . 15 , A Royal Betrothal . 9 , Uncles and

. Aunts . HAYMARKET . 8 . 30 , The Second in Command . Matinee , Sat urday , 2 . ^ 0 . HER MAJESTY'S . 8 , The Last of the Dandies . Matinee , Wed nesday and Saturday , 2 . 15 . LYCEUM . 8 , Sherlock Holmes . Matinee , Saturday , 2 .

LYRIC . 8 , The Silver Slipper . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . 30 . PRINCE OF WALES'S . 8 , Becky Sharp . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 2 . PRINCESS'S . 8 , The Two Little Vagabonds . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . 1 5 . ROYALTY . 8 . 30 , The Second Mrs . Tanqueray . Matinee ,

Wednesday , 2 . 15 . Thursday and Saturday , 3 , Beyond Human Power . SAVOY . 8 , 15 , The Emerald Isle . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . 30 . ST . JAMES'S . 8 . 1 ^ , The Likeness of the Night . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 2 . 15 . SHAFTESBURY . 8 , Charity begins at Home . 9 , Are you a Mason ? M ' atinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 3 .

STRAND .. 8 , A Chinese Honeymoon . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 2 . 15 . TERRY'S . . 8 . is , A Tight Corner . 10 , Sheerluck Jones . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . 30 . VAUDEVILLE . 8 , Scrooge . 9 , Sweet and Twenty . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday 2 . WYNDHAM'S . 8 . 30 , The Mummy and the Humming Bird . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . 30 .

ALEXANDRA . Next week , 7 . 45 , Mrs . Dane ' s Defence . GRAND . Next week , 7 . 45 , The Still Alarm . OPERA HOUSE , CROUCH END . Next week , 8 , The Ballad Singer . ALHAMBRA . 7 . 45 , Variety Entertainment , Gretna Green , Inspiration , & c . - ¦ AQUARIUM . Varied . performances , World ' s Great Show , & c .

CANTERBURY . 8 , Variety Entertainment . EMPIRE . 8 , Variety Entertainment . Les Papillons , & c . LONDON PAVILION . 7 . 45 , Variety Entertainment . Saturday , 2 . 30 also . METROPOLITAN . 8 , Variety Entertainment . OXFORD . 8 , Variety Entertainment . Saturday 2 . 15 also . PALACE . 7 . 45 , Variety Entertainment . American Biograph , Sec Saturday . 2 also .

TIVOLI . 7 . 30 , Variety Entertainment . Saturday , 2 . 15 also . CRYSTAL PALACE . Varied attractions daily . EGYPTIAN HALL . 3 and 8 , Mr . J . N . Maskelyne ' s entertainment LONDON HIPPODROME . 2 and 8 , Varied attractions . MADAME TUSSAUD'S ( Baker Street Station ) . Open daily Portrait models of modern celebrities , & g ,